The background noise makes it a little bit of a labor of love to listen to, but this short interview with the always-groovy Tim Quirk explains how this show came about. (If you give it a view & just embrace the background noise, you’ll experience what it was like to be in my head when I woke up the morning after the show).

Air Traffic Control has been co-hosting artist activism retreats in New Orleans for the last four years. To mark the 5 year anniversary of the storm and floods we thought it appropriate to produce a benefit album. We started by asking the 60 alumni artists who participated in the retreats if they’d be interested in donating a track for a benefit album – we had no idea over half of them would send us music.

We are grateful they did.

Some of the songs that appear on this album are specifically about the city, or the disaster. Others pay a more oblique tribute, and still others are songs that the artist played at the concert we close each retreat with.

Dear New Orleans is a letter of gratitude and promise to the city and her people — to never forget what happened and to continue to rebuild.

Proceeds from the sale of this album will be granted to New Orleans based nonprofits working to support and sustain the region’s unique musical and cultural traditions, and to protect and restore vital environmental and community resources for future generations, such as: